


the sun in the sky (you know how i feel)

by andrewslodge



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Archie and Cheryl are siblings, Archie thinks he loves Betty, But he's also pining for Veronica, Cheryl is an Andrews, College, F/F, F/M, First Times, Friends With Benefits, Friends to Lovers, He's confused, High School, I'm Sorry, Loss of Virginity, Making Out, NOT barchie friendly, New York City, Oral Sex, Private School, Prom, Smut, Sporty Archie, Tagging as underage to be safe, Varchie!Centric, Varhie!centric, non-canon compliant, not slow burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-27
Updated: 2020-03-27
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:35:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23350291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andrewslodge/pseuds/andrewslodge
Summary: Archie Andrews breaks up with his perfect girlfriend to save himself from having the worst senior year. He has a plan to win his girl back once he has the experience he needs, but his sister’s best friend makes the seventeen-year-old question everything.!!!ON HOLD!!!
Relationships: Archie Andrews & Cheryl Blossom, Archie Andrews & Veronica Lodge, Archie Andrews/Betty Cooper, Archie Andrews/Veronica Lodge, Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper/Sweet Pea (brief), Cheryl Blossom & Veronica Lodge, Cheryl Blossom/Toni Topaz, Fangs Fogarty/Kevin Keller (background), Josie McCoy/Munroe Moore, Minor or Background Friendship(s), Minor or Background Relationship(s), Veronica Lodge/Reggie Mantle
Comments: 27
Kudos: 49





	the sun in the sky (you know how i feel)

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back with another fic! 
> 
> I haven't completely beta'd yet, so sorry for any mistakes.
> 
> Thank you to the girls in the discord who give me the courage to write. Love you all!
> 
> Please let me know what you think :)

_Part One_

  
  
  


_“Are you sure you want to?”_

He doesn’t mean for it to come out that way. He’s always been taught he should ask for consent from a girl, even if said girl had told him before she wanted to. 

Betty isn’t a virgin, he knew this. He wasn’t bothered by it either. Just because _he’s_ never had sex. If fact, Archie hasn’t done anything. Every time he gets close to a girl, he pulls away. 

Betty was _different_ . Archie found himself wanting to do things with her, _have sex with her._ But he was scared. No, _terrified._

In all the research has Archie done — _yes_ _he has researched sex_ — he found out that everybody’s first time would be shit, whether you were a guy or a girl. Archie knew that he wouldn’t be able to last five minutes if he was ever inside her. 

He was just scared of embarrassing himself. Archie has heard Betty talking to her friends about how bad some guys were at sex, he didn’t want to be _that_ person they gossiped about. 

_He just wants to make her feel good._

The problem is, he doesn’t know how. It didn’t matter how much research he did, the thought of having sex with anyone was the most terrifying thing he’s ever felt.

He had overheard boys at school talking about how many _chicks_ they’d _banged_ — _multiple times_. Each time Archie was flooded with embarrassment. 

Betty was always good to him. She never rushed him into anything (even if she didn’t know he was a virgin, she was never in a hurry to take the next step) and they’ve been together for going on a year, but he knew she’d want to take their relationship further eventually. He just didn’t plan for it to be that exact moment.

So he asked her _the_ question.

_“Are you sure you want to?”_

Archie was hoping she would say no. He was hoping she would understand why he doesn’t want to. Archie hates that he can’t talk to her about it, but he hates the thought of public humiliation worse.

The hand that was moving into his pants came to a stop. Betty lifted her head up and raised her eyebrows towards him. 

They were on her bed (her mom at work), making out, before Betty’s hands started to move south on his body. Once her skilful fingers reached his crotch, he froze, not knowing what to do. 

“My hands are down your pants and you’re asking me that?” Betty questions, confusion spreading across her face.

Archie goes to speak, but his posture stiffens once again, his words getting stuck in his throat. “I just don’t want to rush things. We don’t have to rush into anything.”

Betty pulls her hands out of his trousers. _Great. He’s offended her._

“To me, it sounds like you don’t want to.” She said it with a tone Archie knew all too well. Betty always does it, when she doesn’t get her way, but he would never change her.

But Archie didn’t get mad at her. Life was too short for him to be fighting with his girlfriend constantly, so he took the easy way out. He gives her what she wants. Always.

There was no easy way out this time.

“I do, babe, I just don’t want to pressure you.” Archie smoothly suggests. He’s praising himself in his head, thinking he’d got out of the conversation. He was hoping Betty would give up eventually and they could just cuddle.

Betty let's out an annoyed sigh.

Okay, so that was _plan A_ out the window. 

She jumps off her bed, grabbing their clothes from the floor and Archie is soon met with a shirt to the face.

“Why won’t you have sex with me?” Betty asks, standing as far away from him as possible, tears filling her eyes. “It’s not like you’re a virgin, right?”

_Fuck._

Archie was stumped. He could tell her the truth, like a good boyfriend would, but eventually that could lead to total humiliation. Or, he could be a total asshole and make up a lie to save his ass.

He isn’t popular, and he doesn’t want to be. He left that for Cheryl. He’d gotten through almost four years of high school with nobody caring who he was, he wasn’t about to change that. 

Even if he is Cheryl Andrews’ brother, _nobody_ cared. 

The redhead wants to trust that Betty wouldn’t embarrass him like that, but he had seen the thing she and her friends had done to people who crossed them.

“I think we should take a break.”

Betty froze at his words. 

He doesn’t want to break up with her, but she doesn’t understand him. Maybe it was better for them to have a break. Archie loves her, he does, but he needs to figure himself out before he can figure Betty out. 

“Why now? Because I want to have sex with you?” Betty’s voice broke as she finished her sentence. Archie stayed silent, not knowing what to say. He didn’t want to lie to her.

“My parents are getting a divorce.” He explains. It isn’t a complete lie, even if they haven’t told him yet, Archie knew it was _potentially_ coming. “I need to focus on myself.”

Betty’s face softens, her anger fading away. Her parents had divorced a few months before she had asked Archie out so she knew the pain. “I understand.”

Archie gets off the bed, grabbing the rest of his things. He walks to Betty and places a gentle kiss on her cheek before he left her standing alone in her pale pink bedroom. 

He will get her back when the time is right for them.

The sun is shining over New York City as Archie walks to Benny’s. He is starting to regret agreeing to meet Munroe and Josie for dinner as he just wants to go back to the Penthouse and drown himself in _Linkin Park._

He’s walked down this street many times with Betty. They would always end up at the _80’s themed diner_ after a heavy make-out session. 

Archie has many memories of himself and all of his friends at Benny’s, memories with Cheryl and her friends too. 

Cheryl is the only person he could stand to see in that moment. 

He hates that she didn’t pick a camp in closer to New York. There were so many to chose from, so she decided to go to one three hours away from him. Archie was so ready for summer vacation to be over so he could have his sister back. With only a week of summer vacation left, Archie questioned when his sister would return. 

And when Cheryl came home, Veronica did too. 

The two best friends have been inseparable since before Archie could remember. They do everything together, they even volunteered at the same sumner camp. 

After what felt like _hours_ , but really was only a fifteen minute walk, Archie reaches Benny’s Diner. He could see his two best friends through the window, no doubt being _all cute_. Archie doesn't have anything against their pda but he is in no mood to watch another couple (even if they were his friends) give each other heart eyes.

Archie is used to being the third wheel around them, Betty never used to hang out with his friends, insisting they didn’t like her. 

It isn’t entirely true, but it also isn’t _not_ true. Josie got on with Betty no problem, however Munroe was extremely opinionated about their relationship. 

Munroe is one of the only people (Cheryl being the other) who knows Archie is a virgin, he is the one of the only people who knows _anything_ about Archie’s private life. Archie loves Josie, but everybody who lives in New York, knows how much of a gossip she is. 

Archie stands outside the old fashioned diner, trying to find the energy to go inside as the sun begins to set over the city. 

_He isn't supposed to feel like this._ He is the one that broke things off with Betty, _he_ made himself the asshole. 

_He_ made her cry.

The redhead shakes his head from any thoughts and walks towards the entrance.

As he walks into the restaurant, the bell above the door chimes, drawing attention to himself. Archie makes his way to Munroe and Josie, who as usual, are sitting in their favourite booth. 

Once Archie reaches the seat, he slides in so he is sitting opposite to the couple. “Hey, guys.”

“Hi, Arch.” Josie smiles. “How are things? I heard Cheryl’s coming home today.”

Archie raises his eyebrows. _She was?_ Cheryl hasn’t told him this, neither have his parents. 

“What?” He questions, looking between his friends.

Munroe lowers his head into his hands. “That was a surprise, _Jose_.” He huffs out, looking towards Archie. “Sorry, man.”

Archie smiles, maybe this day _could_ get better. “Don’t worry.” He replies with a half-smile. Archie doesn’t say much more. He looks through the menu — _even though he knows everything on it already_ — while Munroe and Josie start their own conversation, letting Archie choose what he wants to eat.

The seventeen-year-old spaces out as his eyes remain glued to the dark-coloured words on the worn out menu. To anybody else around him, he looks like a teenage boy deciding what to eat. To Munroe, he looks _hurt_.

As Josie continues to express her distaste on her mother’s new house rules, Munroe puts a finger to her lips, making her pause. She moves his hand away and is about to go crazy at her boyfriend for being so obnoxious, but Munroe stops her. 

“Josie, why don’t you go and order our milkshakes.” Munroe says, kissing her on the cheek. 

Josie catches on, leaving the boys alone. 

“Are you going to explain what’s got you in a bad mood?” Munroe inquires, bringing Archie out of his daze. _“Archie?”_

Archie feels like his head is going to explode. He can hear every conversation happening in Benny’s in that moment. He squeezes his eyes closed and takes three deep breaths, slowly trying to come back to himself.

“Red, what’s going on?” 

The redhead sighs. He kicks his right foot against the table leg, _at least he didn’t have to lie to Munroe._

“I broke up with Betty.” Archie reveals. All of a sudden, his head is clear. He said it out loud. _He had broken up with Betty._ “ _I_ broke up with Betty.”

_Why was he upset?_

He had just said it! _He_ broke up with her! It took Archie a second to realise the relief that washed over him when he spoke the truth. The past year of his life with Betty had been one of the best, yet hardest. But it’s _over_ now. Archie could spend all his new free time focusing on how he could be a better boyfriend for when he and Betty got back together. _If_ he and Betty got back together. 

“You did what? Things were fine three days ago!” Munroe exclaims, not knowing how to react to the _news_. “Is this because of sex? Did she try to force you?”

“What the _fuck_? Of course she didn’t!” Archie almost screams it, but he remembers not to cause a scene. It wouldn’t be good for his parents reputation, Cheryl kicked off enough for their whole family, he doesn’t want to make his parents mad too. They were already going to be disappointed when they found out he had dumped his _perfect_ girlfriend.

“It wasn’t over sex.” He lies.

Munroe’s very large body stiffens and Archie panics. He doesn’t know why he even tries to lie to his best friend, Munroe can always see right through him. 

“Archie, why are you so obsessed with the fact you’re a virgin?” Munroe asks, moving the _bright blue_ menu that was covering half of Archie’s face, out of the way.

“Keep it down.” Archie growls, his face turning red. He doesn’t need the added frustration of Munroe’s judgment.

Munroe runs his fingers through his short hair, Archie can see the annoyance on his face. 

The tension of the packed diner was becoming _unbearable_ to Archie, Munroe needed to quit talking before Archie blew up. 

“Just tell me what happened, man.” Munroe pleads, he can see Josie at the counter, she would be back with their milkshakes any moment and Munroe knew Archie wouldn’t talk in front of her. 

Archie grumbles under his breath before the familiar sounds of Josie’s high-heeled boots fill his ears. _That was his cue to leave._

“I’ll text you.” 

With that, Archie practically sprints past Josie and the three milkshakes. The teenager goes to say something before she looks towards her boyfriend. _She doesn’t need an explanation._

He always ends up here. It’s a place where only he goes. Archie has never shared his special spot with anybody, it is somewhere he keeps for himself for when he needs time to himself. Cheryl doesn’t even know about it.

Archie was sitting atop a small cliff overlooking the _Hudson River._ He was surrounded by trees, and the noise of the city in the far distance. 

The teenager watches the sun set faster by the minute. He has no energy to move. Archie knows his parents are expecting him home for dinner, especially considering Cheryl is _supposedly_ coming home, _but Archie didn’t care._

He sits on the dry grass, waiting for the sun to disappear over the river. He doesn’t feel like leaving. 

The redhead is brought out of his daze by the chimes of his phone. It’s probably his mom, or dad, _or even Betty._ When he pulls out his phone from his pocket and looks at the lit up screen, he definitely isn’t expecting to see _her_ name.

_Veronica Lodge._

_Why is Veronica texting him?_

Archie swipes his finger across the area of his phone, unlocking it as he goes. He wastes no time opening the messaging app so he can see _why on earth_ she is texting him.

_Not that he’s complaining._

**_Archibald, Cheryl wanted to surprise you, but we’re stuck in traffic and she’s totally freaking out about us being late for dinner with your parents, so could you let them know?_ **

**_XO V._**

Archie stares at the message. _We’re?_ Veronica is coming too? Doesn’t she have her own family to eat with? 

_Again, not that he was complaining._

Just as Archie is about to come up with a reply that didn’t give his _I’m-really-happy-you-texted-me vibe away,_ another message came through.

**_Her phone is dead, btw._ **

Archie is more than shocked. Veronica may have been his sister’s best friend, but Archie doesn’t associate with her (or _she_ doesn’t associate with _him_ ), she is _too_ popular for that. Although, all throughout high school, Cheryl _and_ Veronica made it their mission to protect Archie. 

He had been the scrawny five-foot-six fourteen-year-old _boy_ then, _he isn’t that anymore_ . Now, he was seventeen, buff and as Kevin Keller, had said, _hot._

Sure, he’s seen Veronica since he’s started going to gym — It had been _two-hundred-and-thirteen-days_ to be exact, but Archie had started to prioritise getting into good shape since, to hopefully secure his a place on the Football team for when the season started.

Last year, he’d spent most of the time on the sidelines watching Reggie Mantle steal the show. This year, Archie would show him. 

He definitely wasn’t that scrawny kid anymore. 

Before Archie put too much thought into it, he types up a message and presses send.

**_We? You missed me Ronnie?_ **

Archie finds himself waiting for a reply. She always does this to him, gets him all nervous, the butterflies swimming around his stomach are _laughing_ at him. She is _Veronica Lodge_ , she is one of the most beautiful girls he’s ever set his eyes on, _she is his sisters best friend_ — and he is _way_ out of her league.

However, he’s used to it. He is used to being the outcast, the nerd, the little brother (even if it’s only by three months), but _she_ is always there for him. He’s just Archie to her.

But it didn’t matter, _his feelings didn’t matter._

Even if Archie ever does get a chance, he wouldn’t be able to take it. He couldn’t do that to Cheryl.

**_You wish, Archibald._ **

Archie chuckles. How does she make him feel like this? Archie has always had a crush on Veronica, but he got over that when he was _thirteen_ (yes, he did know the _exact_ age). He didn’t know how many times he has to tell himself that it was _never going to happen._

The seventeen-year-old feels like his mind is making him think these repetitive thoughts to pour salt in the wound, rubbing it in that Veronica is _never_ going to like him like that. 

He scans over the text again, trying not to analyse the words too hard. _Archibald?_ Nobody calls him that but his mom, and maybe Cheryl sometimes.

Maybe Cheryl had told her how much it irritated him. 

**_It’s Archie._ **

She only takes _seconds_ to reply. 

**_Down, boy._ **

**_I am very sorry, Archie._ **

Archie knows if they were having a conversation face to face, she would have _emphasised_ his name. He could imagine the _exact_ way his name fell from her darkly colored lips.

Deciding to ignore what he believed was flirting, Archie sent a quick reply, trying not to make his feelings obvious. She was his friend after all.

**_I’m not at home, but I’ll tell mom when I am._ **

**_Okay. See you soon, Archiekins._ **

_Great. The butterflies are back._

Archie doesn’t move from his spot until his mom texts him, worrying about his whereabouts. He laughs at her over dramatic words. Picking up his bag, Archie leaves his spot and begins to walk back to his parents penthouse.

He wants to go home, he _wants_ to see his sister, but he also wants to be alone. Archie doesn’t want to talk about Betty, and he knows his parents were going to question him about why he is ignoring the world.

By the time Archie reaches his home, it is hours past dinner time. He knows his mom will be mad at him but Archie can’t find it in him to care. 

_They won’t understand._

Breaking up with her was his choice, it was a selfish choice. He hurt Betty so he could keep his dignity.

When he walks into the building, their guard, _Thomas_ , greets him as he gets to the elevator. The redhead pushes the button to the fifth floor, turning around to look at himself in the large mirror. He has black marks under his eyes, telling the world about his exhaustion.

The Andrews Apartment is the only one on the floor, it is large with five bedrooms and just as many bathrooms. 

When the elevator opens again, Archie finds himself face to face with his father. 

“Hi, dad.” He mumbles, striking his left foot against the plush carpet, his face pointing towards the floor. 

Fred’s facial expression doesn’t change. He is _pissed_.

“Archie, your mother is worried sick!” He scolds, raising his voice, but not yet shouting. 

Archie goes to apologise to his dad, he tries to make up an excuse as to why he didn’t come home until _gone eleven_ at night, but he is stopped before he even begins by the cries of Mary Andrews.

“Archibald, you _stupid_ boy!” Mary yells, pulling her _seventeen-year-old_ son in for a hug. “Where have you been? I was so worried! Why didn’t you text _or call_?”

Archie sighs at his mom’s babbling before he finally speaks. “Sorry, mom.” He says, placing a kiss on her cheek. “I got caught up with school work.”

Mary smiles towards her husband and her son, she mentions something about _your sister is in her room, make sure you knock first,_ before she leaves the entryway. 

_Wow, he’d gotten off easy there._

“Is there anything you want to tell me, Arch?” Fred asks, he puts a reassuring hand on his son’s shoulder, Archie smiles..

“Everything is great.”

_Lie._

He hears the laughter of his sister before he even reaches her bedroom. With their rooms being next to each other, he was used to hearing _everything_. 

Archie has missed Cheryl _so much_.

Throwing his backpack on his bedroom floor, Archie closes the door behind him and walks the five meters to Cheryl’s room. He can hear her giggling, along with another feminine voice. If he didn’t know that it was _her_ laugh, Archie would’ve believed that Cheryl had brought her new girlfriend home. 

He knocks on her pristine, white door, not waiting for an answer before he opens it. It was a habit Archie had never grown out of, which has lead to multiple intrusions on Cheryl with girls.

“I’m home.” Archie manages to say in a break of their _giggling_ . The first thing he notices is Veronica Lodge, sitting on his sisters king size bed in nothing but a camisole and _very_ short-shorts. There’s a photo album — _his baby photo album_ — laid nicely in front of them.

 _Great_ . _That’s what they were laughing at._

“Little Brother, nice of you to come home.” Cheryl snarks. Archie ignores her comment and goes straight to the fact that they’re looking at _his_ baby photos.

“Why do you have that?” Archie grills, looking between both girls. He knows his mom probably gave it to them, Mary knows how much Archie hates the album. “Do you not have anything better to do?”

In reality, Archie should be greeting his sister after not seeing her for months, but he is already in a bad mood and he doesn’t understand why they have the photographs out. 

Cheryl laughs at his reaction but Veronica stays quiet, she can see the annoyance seeping into his face. “Cheryl wanted to find an old photo of us.” Veronica says, smiling at him. 

“And mumzy gave us _all_ the albums, _Archie-Bear_.” Cheryl adds, using his childhood nickname that she has never stopped saying. His sister never called him just Archie, she always has to call him something that she knows he hates. If she’s not calling him _little brother (again even if they’re only 3 months apart)_ , it’s _Archie-Bear_. The nickname wasn’t so bad when he was a child, but now it makes him cringe. 

Archie scowls at Cheryl, he goes to take the book away from the girls when Veronica squeals and points to a picture of him naked.

“Archie look at your little butt!” Veronica giggles, yes _giggles._ Archie practically sprints towards the bed and yanks the photo album away from her. 

“That’s enough of that.” He says, blushing. Archie’s cheeks grow redder at Veronica’s smirk. “Anyways Cher, I want to hear about your new girlfriend.”

Cheryl smiles, and Archie knows that’s a good sign. Cheryl has been with a _lot_ of people but he’s never seen her smile like _that_. Not at a girl. “Her name is Toni, she was helping out at camp too. She’s not from around here, sadly.”

Archie pulls his sister up from her bed and pulls her into a hug. He whispers how much he missed her into her ear, squeezing her tight against him. He loves Munroe, he loves Betty, he loves Josie but _Cheryl_ is the person he can always trust. 

So why is he finding it _so_ _hard_ to tell her about Betty? 

He pulls away from his sister so he can finally tell her. Veronica being there doesn’t bother him, he _knows_ her, and she would never judge him. Archie opens his mouth multiple times, trying to get the words out. He takes a deep breath and sits on the edge of Cheryl’s bed, looking away from them.

“I broke up with Betty.” Archie speaks, looking down towards the floor. 

Cheryl looks shocked. Archie has only ever spoken good things about Betty, to Cheryl, he had seemed happy, even if Cheryl didn’t like her. Veronica doesn’t let her opinion be known. Archie knows she never liked Betty, his ex-girlfriend had become jealous at their relationship- their _friendship_ and Veronica refuses to take her shit. 

Archie sees it now, he _was_ with somebody that none of his friends liked, somebody his sister didn’t like. Yet he still wanted her?

“Why?” Is all Cheryl says. 

“She wants different things than me.” He explains, not _completely_ lying. 

Archie feels a delicate hand touch his shoulder. He turns his head to see Veronica looking at him. Archie didn’t even feel the bed move, how did she get _so_ _close_?

“Archibald, are you lying to me?” Cheryl dramatically exclaims. She jumps off her bed and throws her hands in the air. “I thought you told me everything!”

Archie can tell Veronica is trying not to laugh at Cheryl’s reaction, he just rolls his eyes and stands up to face his sister. “She wanted to have sex, Cher, I’m not ready to do _that_ with her.”

Everybody goes silent.

“I’m going to get a drink, anybody want anything? No? Okay, be back soon.” Veronica babbles, leaving the room at a record speed. 

Archie doesn’t know whether he should speak or not, if the conversation goes anything like it did with Munroe, he will end up storming out of the room. 

He finds it strange how quickly the mood of the room changes. Five minutes ago, they had been laughing at baby photos, now they were going to undoubtedly have an argument about his sex life — or lack of.

“Cheryl-“ 

“Don’t Archie!” _Oh shit, she called him Archie._ “Remember when you were fifteen and you had your first girlfriend? Tina was it?” 

He nods.

“So you remember coming to me when she put her hand down your pants and you freaked out?” Cheryl says. Archie does remember, he remember having a panic attack in Cheryl’s room because he _didn’t_ trust Tina. Lucky enough for him, she didn’t mention the _situation_ to anyone at school. They just broke up and went on with their lives. 

He nods again.

“I told you then that sex is okay. I told you that everybody has a first time, Little Brother. That hasn’t changed. Nobody is forcing you to do anything, but how long are you going to let sex dictate your life?”

He doesn’t respond this time, her words hit him harder than he will _ever_ admit. Archie knows she’s right so why can’t he do it?

_Why can’t he have sex?_

He doesn’t speak again, he just exits the room, leaving the door open as he goes. 

He lays in bed, not able to sleep. There is too much floating around his head, making it impossible to just close his eyes and _sleep_ . It didn’t matter how many times Archie reminds himself of _his plan,_ something didn’t feel _right._

Archie is just about to turn over onto his side when he hears a soft knock at his bedroom door. He pauses for a moment before he looks at his bedside clock. It reads _2:34 AM._ He knows it won’t be Cheryl because she loves her beauty sleep too much, and his parents are going on a business trip at six in the morning so it only left one person. 

Expect why wasn’t she at her _own_ house?

“Come in.” He says, not loud enough for anybody but Veronica to hear him. _If it was Veronica._

Archie sits up in his bed, he’s clad in only black boxer-briefs, his bare, muscular chest shimmering with sweat from his restless night. To anybody else, Archie would feel exposed, but she does things to him that he doesn’t think about. He’s pushed away those feelings for years, he needs to remember that. 

The door slowly creeks open to allow Veronica entrance into his room. Archie is _anything_ but ready to see her in her pyjamas. 

She walks in and closes the door behind her. Veronica moves closer to Archie and he can’t help but move his eyes up and down her _perfect_ body that is dressed in a purple satin night-shirt, paired with matching shorts.

“What are you doing here, Ronnie?” Archie questions as Veronica perches herself on the end of his bed. “It’s late.”

Veronica smiles — _he can sense the pity,_ before she replies. “I wanted to make sure you were okay, but I had to wait for Cheryl to _finally_ fall asleep.”

“I’m fine.” Archie sees Veronica’s smile drop at his words. 

“Archie, let's get real here. I heard what you said to Cheryl.” She begins. “We’re friends?”

Archie rolls his eyes. “Yes, we’re friends.” 

“Okay, so talk to me. You used to _always_ come to me when Cheryl didn’t understand.” She says it with passion, knowing it will make him crack. Veronica places her hand on his bare thigh, feeling the heat of skin. Archie would never admit it, but the action got his heart racing. 

“I have a plan.” He begins to explain, finally looking her in the eyes. Veronica doesn’t have to ask him to elaborate because he continues to talk before she can get a single word in. “I’m going to have sex with somebody I don’t know, and who doesn’t know me. Then, when I’m ready, I’ll get Betty back.”

After he has finally said it out loud, Archie realises how _stupid_ it sounds. The plan sounded a whole lot better in his head, and by the look on her face, Veronica agrees.

She raises an eyebrow, Archie knows she’s about to call him an idiot so he flops back onto his pillow and sighs. Loudly.

“Archiekins…” He _hates_ that nickname. “Just explain one thing to me? Where is this secret girl coming from?”

“I don’t know yet, Ronnie!” He exclaims, trying to keep his voice down to save his whole family being woken up. 

Veronica giggles, _actually giggles._ Archie wants to scream, but he also wants to kiss the hell out of her at the same time. She has such a hold over him that he hates. He hasn’t felt like this towards her in months, so why were the feelings coming back now? 

“So you’re going to go over a few towns? Maybe find somebody in Greendale? I can ask Sabrina for you if you want.” Veronica laughs all throughout her sentence. Archie doesn’t feel like laughing. 

“I haven’t thought about the details.” 

Neither one of them speak after that. They just look at each other. Archie sees _something_ flash across her eyes, she was thinking about something and he wants to know what. 

Veronica goes to speak but Archie cuts her off with his mouth against hers. She doesn’t even remember him sitting up again, but this is something she’ll _always_ remember. 

But realisation hits her and she pulls away after only seconds. _He’s only seventeen._

“I’m sorry.” Archie apologises, moving away from her on his bed. “You’re Cheryl’s best friend.”

Veronica scoots closer to him and wraps an arm around his neck, pulling his face to hers. Archie has been kissed before, by many people, but it has never felt _like this._

She pulls her legs onto the bed and curls them next to her body. One arm stays around his neck, the other one moves to Archie’s hair, gripping his fiery locks as she kisses him harder. 

Somehow Veronica ends up on his lap, and he _knows_ she can feel _everything_ he has to offer. But isn’t this wrong? What about Cheryl?

“Ronnie.” He breathes out while they take a break from kissing. “What about Cheryl.”

Veronica kisses him again, this time running her tongue along the seam of his lips, asking for entrance. Archie happily lets her tongue meet his, his hands _finally_ moving from the soft comforter to her exposed waist. 

“She doesn’t have to know.” Veronica replies, pulling away from Archie to put distance between them. “Archie, we’re friends too. Friends have sex.”

 _Not when one of them is a virgin,_ Archie thinks to himself but he nods along anyway. “What about Reggie?”

“I want to help you.” She says, disregarding his question. Archie can’t lie, he’s a little confused. _She wants to have sex with him? Was it a good idea?_ He feels the need to ask her multiple questions, but for what felt like _the millionth time,_ she cut him off. “But you’re right, we need to talk first.”

Archie feels relieved. He knows Veronica will never push anything on him, but he didn’t have sex with Betty for a reason, that hasn’t changed just because Veronica was in front of him.

“Do you trust me?” She asks.

“Of course I do.” Archie quickly responds. “I want to do this, Ronnie, but I need you to promise me one thing.”

She looks at him and he knows she’s listening, 

“Nobody can know.”

_tbc_

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Tumblr @softvxrchie


End file.
